HOUSTON, Sept. 9, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Cardtronics, the largest ATM owner/operator in the world, is installing ATMs on the Houston Astrodome campus to provide surcharge-free access to cash for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Along with a major financial institution and Ventus Networks, Cardtronics is ensuring that evacuees will be able to conveniently obtain their funds during this time of immediacy.
"We would like to further the amazing humanitarian spirit that has been shown by the city of Houston and the rest of the country," said Cardtronics' President and CEO Jack Antonini. "With our partnerships across the country and here locally, Cardtronics is in a unique position to provide immediate access to cash and some measure of comfort to our neighbors."
Ventus Networks, a full service-global telecommunications company, will provide the wireless communications and equipment for the ATMs free of charge.
"We want to assist those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. We felt this opportunity to come together with Cardtronics to give our support to the hurricane victims is the right thing to do," said Keith Charette, Ventus Networks President and CEO.
In addition to the rapid deployment of ATMs at the Astrodome, Cardtronics is working with banks and retail merchants across the affected area to get ATMs back online. Cardtronics is providing access to emergency funds throughout the impacted areas of the Gulf Coast region. Plans for additional ATM access at other evacuation centers have yet to be finalized.
About Cardtronics
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Cardtronics is the world's largest owner/operator of ATMs with a nationwide U.S. network of more than 25,000 locations operating in every major market and in all 50 states as well as 1,000 locations throughout the United Kingdom. Major U.S. merchant-clients include A&P, Albertson's, Amerada Hess, Barnes & Noble College Bookstores, BP Amoco, Chevron, Costco, CVS/pharmacy, ExxonMobil, Duane Reade, Rite Aid, SSP/Circle K, Sunoco, Target and Walgreens. Cardtronics unique ATM footprint enables it to offer ATM branding opportunities to financial institutions across the USA. Branded ATMs deployed at Cardtronics major merchant-clients increase not only account access convenience for the depositors of these financial institutions, but also customer foot traffic for the merchant-clients. For more information about Cardtronics, please visit http://www.cardtronics.com/
About Ventus
Ventus Networks, headquartered in Connecticut, is a full-service end-to-end global communications provider that specializes in designing, implementing, and managing private networks. Ventus Networks secure fixed line and wireless data networks are designed for the transportation of sensitive financial oriented data and are capable of operating in a wide variety of accepted communication protocols. For more information regarding Ventus Networks and their suite of services including wireless financial transaction routing, please visit their website at www.ventusnetworks.com or call (800)736.8720.
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